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Akodo Kenburo
Kenburo was a ronin who was adopted by the Lion Clan Champion Akodo Akihisa as his son, becoming Akodo Kenburo. Imperial Histories, pp. 110, 121 He was the Emerald Champion during the Great Famine, under the rule of Hantei XX, Imperial Histories, p. 100 who would select him as Lion Champion, despite he was not of the Akodo's bloodline. Imperial Histories, p. 119 Ronin Kenburo was the bastard son of an unknown Crab and an outcast drunkard samurai-ko. When he was fourteenth Kenburo left his disgraced mother with her sword, the Ogre's Knife. Kenburo wandered from dojo to dojo, where he challenged and defeated many students, with his unique technique, the Kenburo's Way. He was a thuggish ronin who was well known for his bad reputation and penchant for violence. Lion Clan At the age of nineteen he was hired as Lion mercenary against the Crane. Kenburo managed to kill a Kenshinzen sent to duel the Lion Champion Akihisa, and he was appointed Akihisa's personal champion. When the campaign was over Akihisa adopted Kenburo as his son, becoming brother to Akodo Masahisa, the Lion Clan's heir. Imperial Histories, p. 109 Emerald Champion After Akihisa's retirement as the monk Rojin, Kenburo was encouraged by his adopted brother to enter in the Test of the Emerald Champion, both to win prestige for the Lion Clan and to discourage any possible rivalry between Kenburo and himself. He won the final over the Kakita Daimyo Kakita Taki. Ruthless Kenburo's methods were harsh and direct, unleashing the Imperial Legions more aggressively than any Champion before him. His deeds earned him considerable enmity, and the title of “Emerald Butcher.” Kenburo quickly became one of the Hantei XX's favorites. Great Famine In 660 abnormally heavy rains caused crop failure. A temporary reduction of the taxes was refused by Kenburo, which would be instrumental in the beginning of the Great Famine. City Riots In 663 many riots happened because the lack of food. The City of Suffering was controlled by bandits and the Phoenix failed to recover it. Kenburo sent the Imperial Legions which restored the order. The Phoenix Clan Champion Shiba Moriaki committed seppuku. Imperial Histories, p. 103 Starvation In 664 Kenburo intervened twice in defence of the Crane Clan, as ordered by the Emperor. The first during the Rice War, when the Crab Clan Army was at the gates of Mura Sabishii Toshi. The threat of the Imperial Legions forced the Crab Clan Champion Hida Tsuneko to concede defeat. The second time he faced his own adopted brother. Masahisa had levied a massive army of hungry ashigaru, unleashing them to the Crane lands. The Crane, weakened by the previous war could not make their stand. Kenburo met Masahisa and convinced him to return back with the supplies already seized. Imperial Histories, pp. 103-104 Clan's Succession In 665 a band of revolters and peasants called the People's Legion unexpectedly defeated several times the Lion Clan Army, and invaded the former lands of the Ki-Rin Clan, under Lion control. At Bikami two Lion armies were also defeated, and on each was killed in turn the Lion's heir, Akodo Masaumi, and his father Masahisa. Kenburo was offered the championship, but refused to give up the Emerald Champion's office. Matsu Ikuko was chosen as new Lion Champion until Masahisa's closest cousin could come of age. Imperial Histories, pp. 104-105 Lion Clan Champion In 668 a grievously wounded Ikuko was allowed to commit seppuku for her failure aginst the revolters. The Emperor made Kenburo the Lion Champion on the spot, and rallied the Clans against the revolutionaries who were destroyed the next year. Imperial Histories, pp. 105-106 Ronjin Kenburo was enraged when he knew Rojin, his adopted father, had joined the Legion. Somehow the old monk managed to flee from the Imperials. In 671 Kenburo saw Ronjin in a Lion shrine and killed him. Stepping down In 678 Kenburo stepped down as Lion Champion, and Masahisa's cousin replaced him, but held the Emerald Championship until his death from illness in the year 684. Imperial Histories, p. 120 After Death Kenburo ended up in Toshigoku after his death. In his time there he fought Gusai on at least two separate occasions. Once he killed Gusai, and the other Gusai killed him. A Hero's Death, Chapter Eight, by Rich Wulf See also * Akodo Kenburo/Meta Kenburo Category:Emerald Champions Category:Lion Clan Leaders Category:Toshigoku